Fluid delivery system

ABSTRACT

A fluid delivery system that is implantable in the body for delivering treatment fluids to a person. The delivery system includes a fluid-containing sack positioned in the body which is responsive to internal pressure changes resulting from the breathing pattern of the person. The delivery system also includes a fluid delivery conduit which communicates with the sack through a one-way valve. The conduit is provided for directing treatment fluid out of the delivery system in response to the breathing pattern of a patient and delivering the treatment fluid to a desired region of the person&#39;s body in repetitive dosages over a sustained period of time.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a utility application based upon Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 60/073,635, filed Feb. 4, 1998, entitled Fluid Delivery System.Applicant hereby incorporates the entire subject matter of the '635provisional application into this utility application and also claimsthe benefit of the filing date of the '635 provisional application forthis utility application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Internal body pumps are known. The applicant herein has invented onesuch internal body pump which employs the breathing patterns of anindividual to operate. That body pump is the subject of U.S. Pat. No.5,813,410 and is entitled Internal Body Pump And Systems Employing TheSame. To applicant's knowledge there has never been a delivery systemthat is controlled by the breathing patterns of a person and that isarranged for delivering continuous, repetitive doses of a treatmentfluid to a desired region of the person's body over a sustained periodof time. This invention is intended to be used to deliver a wide varietyof treatment fluids, such as chemotherapy fluids, hormones, insulin andfluids to treat hypoparathyroidism (i.e., calcium and magnesium).

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a fluiddelivery system which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid deliverysystem which is inexpensive to manufacture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid deliverysystem that is reliable in operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid deliverysystem that is simple in construction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid deliverysystem that is controlled by the breathing patterns of a person and thatis arranged for delivering continuous, repetitive doses of a treatmentfluid to a desired region of the person's body over a sustained periodof time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects of this invention are achieved by providing afluid delivery system. The fluid delivery system is implantable in thebody of a person and is provided for delivering treatment fluids to theperson. The delivery system includes a fluid-containing sack positionedin the body which is responsive to internal pressure changes resultingfrom the breathing pattern of the person. The delivery system alsoincludes a fluid delivery conduit which communicates with the sackthrough a one-way valve. The conduit is provided for directing treatmentfluid out of the delivery system in response to the breathing pattern ofa patient and delivering the treatment.fluid to a desired region of theperson's body in repetitive dosages over a sustained period of time.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and many attendant features of this invention will becomereadily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by referenceto the following detailed description when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a unique internal body pump of thisinvention, showing its preferred location relative to the diaphragmwithin the body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now in greater detail to the sole drawing, FIG. 1, whereinlike reference numerals refer to like parts, the unique delivery systemof this invention includes a fluid retaining sack 12, which in thepreferred embodiment is formed of an inelastic but flexible plasticmaterial compatible with the body. The sack 12 initially is completelyflat, but is illustrated in its expanded condition with the fluid to bedispensed in it. Most preferably, the sack 12 is located in theabdominal region 14 of the patient below diaphragm 16; althoughplacement of the sack in the thoracic region of the patient above thediaphragm also is within the scope of this invention.

To assist in filling the sack 12 with a desired fluid to be dispensedwithin the body, a subcutaneous access reservoir 18 is provided incommunication with the sack and is positioned closely adjacent theperson's skin (schematically illustrated at 20) so that the sack can befilled percutaneously with a small syringe containing the desired fluid.Most preferably the plastic material of the reservoir 18 has the abilityto reseal itself after the needle of the syringe has been removed.

A delivery conduit 22 communicates with the sack 12 through a one-wayvalve 24. The normal breathing pattern of a patient causes the change ininternal body pressure to act upon the sack 12 to force the treatmentfluid out of the sack, and through the one-way valve 24 and the deliveryconduit 22.

The internal body region that communicates with the delivery conduit 22,and means for directing treatment fluid, depends upon the type oftreatment fluid being administered over a sustained period of time.

For example, for some applications, such as in administering systemicchemotherapy fluid, the delivery conduit 22 communicates directly withthe systemic venous system. To administer regional chemotherapy, such asto the liver, the delivery conduit 22 can communicate with the portalvenous system. When delivering insulin the delivery conduit 22 cancommunicate with the intraparatoneal cavity, or can be located directlyin the subcutaneous tissue.

As mentioned earlier, fluid flow from the sack 12 through deliveryconduit 22 is created by taking advantage of the normal breathingfunction of a person, and in particular, the effect that the normalbreathing function has on movement of the person's diaphragm 16.Specifically, during inspiration (inhaling) the diaphragm 16, whichseparates the thoracic and abdominal cavities, is forced to descend;thereby leading to an increase in the intrathoracic volume and acorresponding decrease in the intrathoracic pressure. Conversely, thevolume of the abdominal cavity 14 decreases and the pressure in thatcavity increases. This action forces fluid from the sack 12 locatedwithin the abdominal cavity through delivery conduit 22 and into adesired region of a person's body, in desired, repetitive dosages over asustained period of time. It should be noted that the flow from the sack12 into the body is limited to one direction, in view of the placementof the one-way valve 24 within the delivery conduit 22.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention,the unique delivery system includes holding means for storing treatmentfluid in a patient. The holding means includes the sack 12. Theexemplary delivery system also includes transfer means communicatingwith the holding means and directing the treatment fluid out of thedelivery system in response to the breathing pattern of the patient anddelivering the treatment fluid to a desired region of the patient's bodyin repetitive dosages over 2 sustained period of time. The transfermeans includes the delivery conduit 22. Moreover, the exemplary deliverysystem includes control means for communicating the treatment fluid fromthe holding means to the transfer means and for inhibiting communicationof the treatment fluid from the transfer means to the holding means. Thecontrol means includes the one-way valve 24.

It should be appreciated that various modifications to the presentinvention may be made to the embodiment described above withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:
 1. A fluid delivery system adapted to be implanted in a body ofa patient for delivering treatment fluid to the patient, said deliverysystem including a fluid-containing sack positioned in the body, saidfluid-containing sack is responsive to internal pressure changesresulting from the breathing pattern of the patient, a fluid deliveryconduit having a proximal end communicating with the sack and a distalend adapted to communicate with a desired region of the body, saiddelivery conduit adapted to direct the treatment fluid out of thedelivery system into the desired region in response to the breathingpattern of the patient and in repetitive dosages over a sustained periodof time, and a one-way valve, said fluid delivery conduit communicatingwith said sack through said one-way valve.
 2. The delivery system ofclaim 1 wherein the distal end of the delivery conduit is adapted toconnect directly to the systemic venous system of the person.
 3. Thedelivery system of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the deliveryconduit is adapted to connect directly connected to the portal venoussystem.
 4. The delivery system of claim 1 wherein the delivery conduitdirects treatment fluid into either the abdominal cavity or intosubcutaneous tissue of the patient.
 5. The delivery system of claim 1,further including a subcutaneous reservoir located adjacent a person'sskin through which fluids to be delivered to the body are directed intothe sack.
 6. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein saidfluid-containing sack is formed substantially of an elastic material. 7.The delivery of system claim 6, wherein said fluid-containing sackincludes a first side and a second side opposite the first side, saidfirst and second sides formed substantially of the elastic material. 8.The delivery system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of breathing cyclesare required for delivery of the repetitive dosages of the treatmentfluid to the desired region.
 9. A fluid delivery system adapted to beimplanted in a body of a patient for delivering treatment fluid to thepatient, said delivery system comprising: a fluid-containing sackpositioned in the body, said fluid-containing sack responsive tointernal pressure changes resulting from the breathing pattern of thepatient; a fluid delivery conduit communicating with thefluid-containing sack, said delivery conduit adapted to direct treatmentfluid out of the delivery system in response to the breathing pattern ofthe patient, said delivery conduit adapted to deliver the treatmentfluid to a desired region of the patient's body in repetitive dosagesover a sustained period of time; and a one-way valve, said fluiddelivery conduit communicating with said fluid-containing sack throughsaid one-way valve.
 10. The delivery system of claim 9, wherein thedelivery conduit is adapted to connect directly to the systemic venoussystem of the patient.
 11. The delivery system of claim 9, wherein thedelivery conduit is adapted to connect directly to the portal venoussystem of the patient.
 12. The delivery system of claim 9, furthercomprising a subcutaneous reservoir located adjacent the patient's skin,said subcutaneous reservoir communicating with said fluid-containingsack to deliver the treatment fluid to said sack.
 13. The deliverysystem of claim 9, wherein said delivery conduit includes a coupling endcommunicating with the sack and a free end that delivers the treatmentfluid out of the fluid delivery system to the desired region.
 14. Afluid delivery system implantable in a patient for delivering treatmentfluids to the patient, said delivery system comprising: holding meansfor storing the treatment fluid in the patient, said holding meanspositioned in the patient for responding to internal pressure changesresulting from the breathing pattern of the patient; transfer meanscommunicating with said holding means, said transfer means directing thetreatment fluid out of the delivery system in response to the breathingpattern of the patient and delivering the treatment fluid to a desiredregion of the patient's body in repetitive dosages over a sustainedperiod of time; and control means for communicating the treatment fluidsfrom said holding means to said transfer means, said control meansinhibiting communication of the treatment fluid from the transfer meansto the holding means.
 15. The delivery system of claim 14, furthercomprising means for directing the treatment fluid into one of anabdominal cavity or a subcutaneous tissue of the patient.